Browsed byMonth: November 2016

Mixing Sweet and Savory

Salmon and sweet potatoes is such a delicious meal, and it is great for expanding your baby’s taste buds. By combining the sweet potato with the salmon, the sweet potato makes the fishy taste more subtle. So, it is a slow introduction to the flavor. Over time, your child will grow to like the fishy taste on their own. My son’s favorite food is salmon, and he devoured this puree. Plus, salmon is brain food, especially in the morning, because it is rich in omega 3s, vitamin B12, phosphorus, vitamin D, and protein. Sweet potato is a healthy source of carbohydrates for energy and vitamin A.

Ingredients

1 lb of wild caught salmon

1 lb sweet potatoes

4 TBSP coconut oil

Coconut milk for blending

Directions

Cook the salmon in 350◦F oven for 20 minutes.

While the salmon is cooking, peel and cube up sweet potatoes. Each piece should be about 1/2 inch pieces.

Boil about 2 cups of water in a steamer. Place the sweet potato in the steamer, and cook for 7 minutes.

Using your hands or a knife, break up the salmon into chunks for easier processing in the blender. Add the salmon, sweet potato, and coconut oil to the blender.

Blend the ingredients for 30 seconds, and then add coconut milk in 1/4 cup increments until it blends to a smooth consistency.

Spoon about 1/2 cup or 4 oz of the food into a breast milk bag. Flatten the bag, label with the date and description, and freeze.Repeat this process until all of the batch is stored.

Giving Your Baby a Balanced Meal

Pureed vegetables is a classic first baby food, and vegetables are nutritious foods with several vitamins and minerals. The nutrients vary depending on the vegetable so rotating a variety of them is key. However, they are not the most nutrient dense foods and are not calorie dense. When I think of optimal nutrient density, I think about the building blocks for the ideal human form. The most abundant protein in our body is collagen, and babies need a ton as they are growing their bones, teeth, skin, hair, and nails. Collagen is an easy form of protein to digest and absorb. It is even termed “animal starch” because it is so quickly digested. So, this is a great option for a baby’s digestion, especially in the evening.

Chocolate Can Be Healthy!

Kids (and adults) need treats! It’s is easy to just run to the store for ice cream, but healthy, delicious treats can be easy to make too. This chocolate avocado pudding provides nutrients from all of the ingredients and tastes like a rich brownie pudding.

The avocado is rich in Vitamin E and fiber, while the cocoa provides magnesium and healthy fats. Dates contain iron, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and folate. Dates are one of my favorite sweeteners for desserts due to their nutritional benefits, and their natural sugars provide great energy without spiking blood sugar in the same way as refined sugar. Raw honey is rich in enzymes and supports melatonin production. So, this treat is great to have before bed to improve sleep. Coconut milk provides healthy fats, and collagen is great protein to build and maintain our bones, skin, hair, and teeth.

Bacon makes everything better!

Vegetables just taste better with a little fat on them, and the fat helps to increase the vitamin and mineral absorption.

However, bacon is one of those foods that you really need to be careful with your source. You will want to find a brand that is first and foremost free of preservatives like nitrites and nitrates as well as sugar-free. Ideally, the pork would also be pasture -raised. I like the Pederson’s Farm brand that I found at Fresh Thyme, and my family thought it was delicious. Their packages are marked as “Whole30 approved”, which was very helpful in knowing it was a clean product. There are other brands that are simply sweetened with honey, which is another good option.

My son, Noah, has always been a great eater and eats vegetables well on their own without added ingredients. However, I wanted a recipe to mix in some healthy fats with veggies such as raw grass-fed cheddar cheese and eggs or “sacred foods” as Dr. Weston A. Price calls them.

These are high in fat soluble vitamins A, D, and K2. Plus, I think it is important to continually introduce children to new food combinations to expand their taste buds. These make a great snack or side, for adventurous or picky eaters. When he started finger foods, this was a great one because he could easily pick them up and eat them.

Ingredients

2 cups broccoli

2 pasture raised eggs

1/4 cup pastured pork, sugar-free bacon

1/3 cup raw grass-fed cheese

2 TBSP parsley

salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400◦F.

Chop broccoli and steam for 5 minutes.

Add broccoli to food processor and pulse a few times.

Dump broccoli onto a paper towel and squeeze out some of the excess water.

Pour the broccoli back into a bowl. Then, add the rest of the ingredients, and mix. The broccoli should still be chunky.

Scoop heaping tablespoons into mini muffin tins.

Bake for 20 minutes.

For more ideas for healthy, easy family meals, subscribe for my FREE two week meal plan!
For ideas of how to feed your child nutrient dense food, check out my E-Book, A Recipe for a Healthy Baby.

Kids love jelly, and we can’t blame them! It’s sweet and goes great with nut butter. However, there is an easy way to make your own without knowledge of canning or taking a ton of time. I love to make a batch of this healthy lunch option for kid sandwiches or top yogurt, crackers, or pancakes for a quick, nutritious snack.

Strawberry Chia Jam

Ingredients

3 cups strawberries

4 TBSP honey

2 TBSP chia seeds

Directions

Cut the tops of the strawberries, and dice them.

Place strawberries and honey in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Mash the strawberries with a potato masher if you want a chunky jam, or blend the mixture if you like a smooth consistency.

Mix in the chia seeds, and cook the mixture for another 15 minutes on low to thicken.

For more ideas for healthy, easy family meals, subscribe for my FREE two week meal plan!
For ideas of how to feed your child nutrient dense food, check out my E-Book, A Recipe for a Healthy Baby.

Once Noah started finger foods, I had to get more creative with incorporating some nutritious, building block foods into his diet. For butter and collagen, it was easy to just mix those into a puree, which he can’t feed to himself. So, I started thinking about how I could incorporate those ingredients into a cooked or formed product.

One morning, I decided to make some pancakes for him as a fun Sunday breakfast and created this homemade recipe that I am very happy with. I whipped the pancakes well in the blender, and that helped the collagen make a sturdy pancake. I slathered each one with grass-fed butter to make sure he was getting the essential fat in his diet. He loved them and ate 6 “dollar size” pancakes!

This is also a great, healthy snack idea to send for your kids since it is a great mix of healthy carbohydrates, protein and fat. For my son, I cut them up into small triangles, and he eats them as his morning snack instead of the graham crackers they offer at the school. This is a great fuel for kids who participate in sports as well and who need a pre- or post- workout fuel.

Snuggle Up with a Hot Chocolate Cup

As the colder weather starts to come, it is great to cozy up with a delicious cup of hot chocolate. However, the hot chocolate packets are filled with processed ingredients and LOTS of sugar. Plus, I like my hot chocolate rich and creamy, and those store bought hot cocoas don’t always hit the spot. So, I created a homemade hot chocolate recipe that your family will love, and you can feel good about making it for them. It is great to make as a healthy, Paleo dessert for the kids or if you want something special to share with your significant other. I especially love that it is easy to make (even kids can help!)

There are so many great brands of natural, organic chocolates these days. I really like Lily’s because they are sweetened with stevia, but if you can’t get your hands on those, I would also recommend the Enjoy Life brand. Children typically like the milk chocolate variety (40% cocoa) and many adults may prefer dark chocolate (70% or higher). The dark chocolate is rich in magnesium and antioxidants. In any variety of chocolate, there will be cocoa butter, which is a source of great fats, just like the coconut milk.

Coconut milk contains healthy saturated fats that won’t raise cholesterol. These fats, medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), aid in fat metabolism and energy. These fats also help control your blood sugar, and it also provide electrolytes like potassium and magnesium and promotes gut health. The coconut milk is especially great for kids since they need healthy fats to grow and fuel their brain. Our brains have a large portion made from saturated fats, and we want those coming from the right sources instead of junk food.

This hot chocolate is great at night because coconut fat helps with ketones that fuel the brain in the evening and while sleeping. Plus, it is as easy to make as making hot chocolate from a pouch with just 3 ingredients!

So, go enjoy a nourishing cup of hot chocolate on one of these cold nights with those you love!

Take the hot chocolate off the heat, and add the vanilla. For an added boost you could add 2 TBSP grass-fed collagen protein to the recipe once you remove from the heat. Stir to finish incorporating all the ingredients.

Pour the hot chocolate into some fun mugs!

This hot chocolate is great at night because coconut fat helps with ketones that fuel the brain in the evening and while sleeping. You can also stir in some grass-fed collagen protein as a source of glycine. Glycine promotes a deep sleep as found in this study.

For more ideas for healthy, easy family meals, subscribe for my FREE two week meal plan!
For ideas of how to feed your child nutrient dense food, check out my E-Book, A Recipe for a Healthy Baby.

Let’s face it! Kids (and adults) need some treats. We all have a sweet tooth, but that doesn’t have to mean we eat something unhealthy. This custard is only slightly sweet, so it is great for young toddlers. It is packed with healthy fats that contain choline, fat soluble vitamins, gelatin for the bones and skin, and berries for healthy carbohydrates and Vitamin C.

Berry and Coconut Custard

Ingredients:

3 dates (pitted)

4 TBSP coconut oil

5 drops lime juice

4 TBSP grass-fed butter

2 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

1 TBSP gelatin

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup water

berries

Directions:

Take room temperature eggs, and place them in a saucepan with cool water.

Heat the pan until the temperature reaches just above 140◦F. Check using a thermometer.

Keep the eggs at this temperature for 3-5 minutes. You may be able to remove the pan from the heat to prevent it from overheating.

Take the eggs out of the water and rinse in cold water.

Crack the eggs and separate the yolks for two of the eggs. Save the whites for another meal.

Nutrient Dense Dessert

This healthy, delicious banana chia pudding will satisfy anyone’s treat cravings, while adding some powerhouse foods to the diet. Bananas are a great way to fuel your child with healthy carbohydrates and potassium. They also have a great texture for a pudding and to mix healthy fats into. Chia seeds contain calcium, magnesium, potassium, fiber, Omega 3s, antioxidants, and protein. Also, they are great for bone health and digestion. Then, the coconut oil or butter and coconut milk provide healthy fats to fuel their brain for the day. This is a well rounded snack with healthy carbs, protein, and fat It is a great afternoon snack or night time treat, especially instead of ice cream. Plus, it is definitely cheaper than taking them to the ice cream store!

Banana Chia Pudding

Ingredients

1/2 cup banana (I use 1 banana to keep it simple)

1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk

2-3 dates (pitted)

2 TBSP chia seeds

1 TBSP coconut oil or grass-fed butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp lime juice (to prevent browning)

Directions

Soak dates in warm water for approximately 5 minutes to soften.

Melt the butter or coconut oil in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

In the food processor, add the coconut oil/butter, coconut milk, and dates. Blend until the dates are completely broken up. This could take 1-2 minutes.

Add the banana, vanilla, cinnamon, and lime juice to the food processor. Mix until combined. This should take about 30 seconds.

Remove the blade, and add the chia seeds. Mix in the chia seeds with a spoon.

Pour into a bowl, and cover with saran wrap. Set overnight in the refrigerator. This will allow the chia seeds to “gel” and create the pudding texture.

Carrot Cake with Creamy Frosting

One great thing about using a carrot cake recipe is that the cake will be similar to many of the foods they have already eaten in purees or chunks. Also, the carrots help provide structure to a cake without gluten and does not need as much sweetness. This cake is make with all natural, organic ingredients that make first birthday smash cake healthy, nutritious, and delicious.

Creamy Frosting

1/4 cup grass fed butter (or ghee or you could double the coconut oil to make it all the way dairy free)

1/4 cup coconut oil

2-3 pitted dates or

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 Tablespoons cashew butter

1/2 teaspoon lime juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350◦F.

2. Blend ingredients of the cake in the blender until the dates and carrots are completely broken up.

3. Grease round cake pans using coconut oil or grass-fed butter. Pour the batter evenly among the 3 pans. My pans were 4 inches wide and 2 inches deep. Make sure to level the tops using a spatula.

4. Bake for 40 minutes. The tops should have gained a golden brown color.

5. Remove from the oven. Release the cakes from the springform pan, and set on a rack to cool.

6. For the icing, slightly melt the coconut oil and butter.

7. Put the dates, butter, and coconut oil in the blender. Blend for 1-2 minutes until the dates are completely broken up.

8. Put other icing ingredients in a blender, and blend all together. Mix and store in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes before the cake will be iced.

9. When the cakes are cool, you need to level the top of each cake.

Tip: If you do not have a cake leveler, try kneeling down on the floor so you are eye level with the cake and using a serrated knife, cut off the excess cake to level it. Start with the least amount to cut off that you can in case you need to continue to level it out.

12. Place some icing on the plate that the cake with go on so that it acts as glue for the cake. It should be very easy to spread. If not, let it come to room temperature for a little longer.

13. Ice the top of bottom layer thinly. Set second layer on top. Ice it thinly. Do the same with the third layer.

14.Proceed in icing down the sides of the cake until it is covered.

15. Smooth the icing and decorate.

For more ideas for healthy, easy family meals, subscribe for my FREE two week meal plan!
For ideas of how to feed your child nutrient dense food, check out my E-Book, A Recipe for a Healthy Baby.